Hi Peggy:) I usually change the bag every 4 days. The box said to change it at 5 days so the beetles aren't repelled by the odor of dead beetles. I like to change it when the bottom part of the bag is about half full though. I am afraid of going to that 5th day and the 'lure disk' luring them to my yard but then they are repelled by the scent of the dead bettles and head straight for my garden:( This is my 1st year growing veggies but I know the traps worked wonders when I used to grow insane amounts of flowers:) I will post as the summer goes on if the trap continues to do the job of keeping them away from the garden. My garden is rather small so I just have one trap set 30 feet downwind of the garden. I think the field across the road would be a great option if you chose that route. Cut them off before they get to your house:)

The JBs have arrive here. I have had a few on one of my young peach trees. I have had a few on my rose bushes. I see a few holes in my beans and cruciferous vegetable plants. But actually I have seen very few. I applied Milky Spore last year, but then it did not rain and I didn't water it down to well, so I doubt it took. I think it was the late spring that has kept down their numbers. They are a social bug and seem to gather in numbers after a few arrive and find it hospitable. I am spraying early to get rid of the few in hope that the many do not arrive.

Thank you! I did some more reading on them and decided to set her loose since I don't have grapes. When I read someone's story about having one as a pet when they were a child, I decided she was safe to handle. I ended up with a great picture of it taking off for flight. Of course, I spent the next 15 minutes trying to catch it in the house :). Thanks again, Bellatrix

HU, that's not a Japanese beetle. It's a green fruit beetle, Cotinis mutabilis. Japanese beetles aren't fruit-eaters, and they're not that common in CA. And the presence of insects feeding on fruit doesn't mean the primary culprit isn't something else. A lot of insects will be attracted to wounds in fruit made by other creatures like rodents. Rats are pretty great at avoiding traps. Also, caterpillars are often the first pests to attack tomatoes, after which many other insects will take advantage of the wounds.